The ULTIMATE FOODIE guide to cycling ON the Isle of wight
in partnership with
We’ve discovered the best roads, restaurants and beauty spots to curate our Isle of Wight joyride and dining experience with Sir Bradley Wiggins and Claude Bosi. Knowledge is for sharing, so we’ve compiled it all into one handy guide in partnership with help from our friends at Red Funnel Ferries and the Michelin Guide to combine our pro cycling and local foodie know-how for all to enjoy.
Ride
FIND YOUR PERFECT JOYRIDE BY RETRACING OUR ROUTES BELOW
RIDING THE ISLE
The Isle of Wight is one of the best-kept secrets in UK cycling. People assume that the Island is too small to be a cycling destination, but with its smooth-rolling roads, coastal views, sunshine and delicious home-grown produce, it makes for some of the best riding you’re likely to find in the South of England.
Sold? Discover our routes and recommendations below.
“Combining exhilarating cycling with a panorama of white chalk cliffs towering over an English Channel that shimmered with a turquoise dazzle.”
Joyride Routes
Retrace the routes and take in all the beauty of our Isle of Wight Joyrides. We use Komoot to plot our rides, so you can export a GPX file for your device, or amend the start and finish as necessary.
EASY
Difficult
Intermediate
BEAST MODE
Dine
Hard work deserves a reward. Indulge in Perthshire’s finest restaurants.
The George Hotel, Yarmouth
The George Hotel is a 17th Century townhouse enjoying a spectacular location nestling on the water’s edge between the castle and pier in the bustling harbour town of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.
The George is much more than a beautiful building with a seafront terrace, it’s an all encompassing sanctuary of relaxation, beauty and flavour. With Claude Bosi and his team running the kitchen throughout the summer months, you can expect his french flair applied to the freshest seafood you can get your hands, served to you as close as possible to where it was caught.
THE HUT, Freshwater
MICHELIN PLATE
"Simple yet delicious food, in a relaxed, beach-front location” is the mantra of this super-popular seaside venue. The Hut boasts wonderful views and an electric weekend atmosphere seven days of the week - particularly as the afternoon wears on.
The smart set arrive by restaurant tender from their turbo-charged ribs, principally from Lymington or Southampton, and this combined with water’s edge dining or a berth on one of the first floor terraces adds to the febrile ambience. But it’s the kitchen’s understanding of seafood and their ability to combine the classic with the innovative that is the real success driver.
Following half a dozen oysters, chilli-salted edamame or arancini, tuck into a crab & crayfish cocktail, grilled octopus or a zingy ceviche. For mains, the menu touts lobster spaghetti, sole or cod alongside risotto, lamb cutlets or grilled aubergine. All to a good standard. Copious quantities of rosé are, of course, de rigueur, but the short wine list offers a nice selection both at the quaffing and heavy-weight ends.
If locals complain that success has gone to its head - "prices up, food standards down" - it hasn't stopped any of them going, or the fun from escalating.
“This elegant restaurant is superbly set amongst colourful beach huts and looks out over the sea to Hurst Castle. Sit on one of the terraces or under retractable roofs and enjoy anything from fish tacos to a fruits de mer platter. Most diners arrive by boat (they’ll even collect you from your mooring).”
True Food Kitchen, castlehaven
Once our team of ride leaders, chefs and staff assembled on the Isle of Wight a few days ahead of our weekend, we dined alfresco at True Food Kitchen. A quaint shack perched on the southern tip of the Island’s diamond shaped coast in an idyllic fishing cove with its own micro-climate.
The menu mirrors the stunning location, a flavour haven of locally caught seafood, mineral-packed plant-based dishes, with specials designed by a local lobster legend and award-winning chef, Adam Fendyke.
Drink
DRINK IN ALL THE BEAUTY OF the Isle of Wight
Botanic Garden, Ventnor
Holding warmth from its southerly aspect and with chalk downs fending off the cold northerly winds, the Botanic Gardens boasts a climate more akin to the Mediterranean – enabling wild sprouting of subtropical plants usually considered too tender for mainland Britain.
As a result, sun-loving herbs and Australian eucalyptus are fresh for picking, the latter used to add a punchy hit of citrus to complement the botanical rich Mermaid gin for our welcome drinks
The Botanic Gardens is a beautiful setting to grab a drink all year round, whether that’s a coffee at their plantation room cafe, or a post-ride beer at the Hopyard & Microbrewery.
RELAX
HANG YOUR BIKE UP AND MELT INTO RECOVERY MODE
The Royal Hotel, Ventnor
Nestled into the seafront of beautiful Ventnor, the base for our joyriding weekend is one of only 30 establishments to be listed in every Michelin Guide since it was first published in 1911.
Having hosted crowned heads of Europe, The Royal Hotel is steeped in tradition, yet offers every modern comfort you could ever wish for. Local sourced produce wrapped in fine dining, world-class hospitality and sumptuously decorated rooms fit for royals.
“The Royal building is a handsome, four-storey building fronted by a pretty wrought iron veranda that overlooks Ventnor’s Esplanade and the English channel”
The Garlic Farm, Sandown
Chefs often joke that British people are scared of garlic. However, the Islanders are obsessed with it, and rightly so. The Garlic Farm produce over 15 varieties, and infuse all kinds of products, such as mayonnaise, chutneys, beer and ice cream.
A mid-ride meal isn’t out of the question either, with renowned Island Chef Charlie Bartlett and his team serving up dishes which celebrate the Island’s finest produce, including their very own reared Highland beef, which can be seen enjoying the open pastures around the farm.
Beyond the pastures are handmade yurts situated in a secluded field boasting all the comforts of a luxurious country cottage, yet offering a ‘back to nature’ style escape. A perfect place to unwind, sample delicious homegrown produce and explore the hidden pathways leading to the Isle’s most spectacular vistas.
